


"Sonny, call me Sonny"

by 6barba_carisi9



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-24 07:50:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7500054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/6barba_carisi9/pseuds/6barba_carisi9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barisi one shot; takes place after Dodd's passing. Sonny and Rafael slowly begin a friendship with hints of a flirty banter and the possibility for their relationship to lead to something stronger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Sonny, call me Sonny"

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is a quick Barisi one shot, which takes place after Sergeant Dodds’ death. You may notice the sequence of events in this one shot are out of order and are different rather than the way the last episode(s) in season 17 appeared. Please note this was done on purpose in order to fit this writing piece! xx (p.s. I know Barba doesn’t wear glasses on the show, but I like to pretend he does)

“Barba?”

The door to the ADA’s office creaked open after a light knock.

Rafael glanced up from the stack of paperwork that was sprawled over his desk; his eyes peered over the tiny, black, thick framed glasses which were perched on the bridge of his nose. Olivia stood in the door way, hands on the sides of her thighs. He noticed both were shaking.

“Lieutenant,” Rafael motioned his hand, “what can I do for you?”

“I just need your presence. Dodds’ funeral is tomorrow at the Cathedral, 11 am.”

“Of course, Liv. I’ll be there.”

The Lieutenant smiled sadly, teary eyed and turned to walk out.

Rafael took a deep, heavy breath. His chest felt tight and anxious butterflies were fluttering among his stomach. Sweat began to form on his upper lip; he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his handkerchief, immediately swiping away.

A couple of minutes later, there was another knock on the door. Barba rolled his eyes.

Who the fuck-

The door swung open aggressively, knocking into a book shelf and causing a couple of heavy textbooks to fall to the ground with a roaring thud.

Detective Carisi.

“Ah shit, fuck. I’m sorry, counselor.” Carisi kneeled down to collect the textbooks-five to be exact-and stacked them in a pile. He reached down to scoop them in his skinny arms and almost fell backwards in the process.

Barba sat there, his lips pressed together firmly.

“Just leave them there, Carisi.” He instructed monotonously.

“Right,” Carisi nodded and tried ever so gently to place the books down, only to create another thump on the carpet floor.

“You are lucky no one works below me.” Rafael narrowed his eyes.

Carisi flushed, “I’m sorry about that. Typical me, I try to come in here and report some news to you, and look what happens. My life is like a shitty comedy.”

Rafael blinked. “Don’t worry about it.”

Carisi shut the door behind him and walked up to where Barba was sitting behind his desk and sat down on the table, his knee brushing against Barba’s in the process.

“You are sitting on my paper work, Detective.”

“God damn it,” Sonny murmured. He sounded frustrated, as he situated himself to where he was sitting as close to the end of the desk as possible to avoid crumbling any paper work.

He was trying so carefully not to mess up any more, it was almost adorable.

“Your antics never cease to amaze me.” Barba commented.

“Antics? I amaze you, Counselor?”

“You sound surprised.”

“It’s just that you happen to amaze me.” Carisi’s face grew soft.

Barba felt his skin turn red.

“I mean your-the way you handle yourself and your cross examinations. Not to mention how many cases you win-” Carisi explained quickly.

Barba put a hand up, “Did you come here to just praise me, Detective? I get enough of that already.”

Carisi responded with an awkward sounding laugh, “Oh what? I’m not allowed to give you a compliment?”

Barba blushed again.

“You have something worthwhile to tell me, Detective?”

“Yeah actually I do,” Carisi paused. “It’s about the bar.”

Carisi glanced down at the ground, expressionless.

Shit, he didn’t pass, Barba thought.

“Carisi, I’m sor-”

“I passed!” He suddenly exclaimed, jerking his head up, grinning.

Rafael rolled his eyes, “You kill me.”

Carisi laughed and leaned forward, “It’s all thanks to you.”

There was a silent pause as the two held eye contact.

Barba chewed on his bottom lip, “No, Carisi, this was all on you. You may be an idiot, but you’re certainly not stupid. You deserve this more than anyone.”

Sonny raised his eyebrows, “Sounds like you’re trying to compliment me now.”

Rafael leaned back in his chair and gave Sonny his signature “are you kidding me” look, causing him to crack up again.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Detective.”

“Sonny, call me Sonny.”

Barba pretended like he didn’t hear him, “It’s nice to hear some good news on such a dark day after what happened.”

Carisi nodded, “In the dark, there is always light.”

“You going to tell me not to judge a book by its cover too?” Barba said, mocking Carisi reciting cliché lines.

“Just trying to be a positive person, Counselor.”

“Rafael, call me Rafael,” Barba replied in a mocking tone.

“You ever get a nickname? Sonny is mine, cause believe it or not,” Carisi lowered his voice to a whisper, “Sonny isn’t my real name.”

Barba smirked, “Wow. Really? Never would have guessed. And no, not really. Mi mama used to call me Rafi.”

“Rafi,” Carisi repeated. “Aw.”

Barba folded his arms across his chest, “You might have passed the bar, but you’re still only a shadow to me.”

Sonny leaned back on the desk and smiled, “How do you always come up with something to say? I’m one of those people who thinks of a good comeback hours later when I don’t need it anymore.”

Barba shrugged, “I don’t think, I just say what’s on my mind.”

Sonny nodded, “Well thank you again, Rafael.” He stood to stand up.

“You’re leaving?” Barba asked, disappointment leaking in his voice.

“You gonna miss me, Counselor?” Carisi raised an eyebrow.

“Oh please. You plan on knocking anything else over before you leave?”

Carisi’s mouth dropped open, “Funny.”

“Law and comedy. It’s what I’m here for.”

“Mhm,” Sonny breathed, “Well, I’m pretty much done for today. Care to grab a bite?”

“Paperwork.” Barba instantly replied, almost sounding robotic.

Barba shook his head right after he said that, “Actually, no. I can use a bite to eat.”

“That was a quick change of mind,” Carisi noted. “Can’t stand to be without me?”

Barba sighed, annoyed. “That’s the excuse I generally use to get out of things. It’s like a tick I have. Someone asks me to ‘grab lunch’ or ‘step outside’ and I respond with that. However, I am particularly hungry right now and I suppose you aren’t the worst person in the world I could eat with.”

“Wow. Another compliment today? You’re on a roll.”

Rafael threw Sonny an icy glare, “Watch it.”  
He then stood up, peeled his blazer off and draped it over his arm, revealing black suspenders over a white shirt and striped red tie.

“Suspenders. Are they your fashion staple?” Carisi questioned, glancing at Barba’s shoulders and torso.

Barba felt naked under Sonny’s glare; a chill ran down his spine.

“Annoying me. Is that your personality staple?”

Carisi grinned, “Yup and I love every minute of it.”

Barba rolled his eyes again, “Let’s go, Carisi.”

 

—–

“You want to come with me tomorrow?”

Barba looked up from his veal parmigiana sandwich, “You want me to come with you? To a funeral?”

Carisi nodded.

“This is a funeral, Sonny, not a wedding. You don’t bring a date to a funeral.”

Carisi’s mouth gaped open, forming a small ‘o’.

“First off, you called me Sonny. Secondly, you just said the word ‘date,’ you implying something here?” Sonny was smirking, he was loving every second of this.

Barba furrowed his brow, cursing himself internally for not choosing his words more carefully.

“Listen, Detective, that’s what you were implying.”

Sonny grinned, “You said it, not me.”

Barba huffed in response. “Point is, Sonny, you don’t bring a date to a funeral.”

Sonny’s smile faded. “I know, that isn’t what I meant. I just wanted to ask if you could pick me up or if I could pick you up. I don’t like to travel to funerals alone. It’s just this weird thing that I have.”

Barba nodded understandingly. “Okay, Carisi. I can pick you up from where the ferry drops you off and I’ll drive us both to the cathedral. How about that?”

Sonny’s eyes lit up, “You’d do that for me, Counselor?”

“Not if you call me counselor.” Barba pointed a finger.

Sonny smiled, “You got it, Barba.”

Rafael nodded and went to take a bite out of his sandwich.

Sonny leaned across the table, “You know you’re not as intimidating as people make you out to be.”

“Me? Intimidating? Check please,” Barba waved his hand in the air like he was holding a pen and singing something.

Sonny chuckled, “Cute.”

“You flirting with me, Detective?” Barba cocked his head to the side, his usually dull green-blue eyes glistening.

Two can play at this game, Barba thought.

Sonny blushed an undeniably bright, red color.   
“Umm, I-” He stammered.

“Adorable.” Barba cut him off, and took a sip of his coffee.

His eyes scanned Carisi’s face while the giant cup covered his mouth and cheeks so Sonny couldn’t see that Barba was also blushing.

“You’re something else, Counselor.”

“So I’ve been told.”

Sonny shook his head, grinning. “So, Barba, I’ve been thinki-”

A shrilling, beeping noise rudely interrupted Sonny.

Rafael reached into his pant pocket and retrieved his phone. He glanced at the screen and squinted his eyes, hesitating.

He then swiped his screen and glanced up at Sonny.

“One moment,” Barba mouthed.

“Rafael Barba,” he said into the speaker.

Sonny sat across the table, looking down at his hands to make it seem as though he wasn’t trying to listen in on Barba’s conversation.

He looked up.

Barba hadn’t said anything for the couple of seconds he had with his phone pressed to his ear. Sonny noticed the color on his face had drained and his eyes were wide with dismay.

“Who is that?” Sonny asked, his voice dripping with immense worry.

Barba swallowed what felt like a huge lump in his throat. He removed the phone from his ear, hands trembling.

Sonny nearly jumped up from his chair and grabbed the phone from his hands.

“Who the hell is this?” Sonny demanded, but the line went dead.

“Barba?” Carisi looked over at him.

“Felipe Heredio,” The Counselor whispered.

Hot red flashes of anger appeared prominently on Sonny’s face. Suddenly, he had gone from playful, borderline flirtatious recently-passed-his-bar-exam, night school student to inquisitive, analytical, attentive, concerned, who-the-fuck-is-messing-with-my-ADA, detective.

Just doing his job.

Carisi handed the phone back to Barba, “Open your call log.”

Barba did what he was told and held his phone out for Carisi to take.

“Fuck. Blocked number. I can run this through the system back at the precinct and we can track it down.” Sonny reached into his own pocket to grab his phone to call Liv.

“No, Sonny, there is no need. This can wait.” Barba snatched his phone back.

“This can wait?! Are you kidding me, Counselor? These are very serious threats being made against you. I’m not allowing this to continue anymore. You don’t want to live life in fear, do you?”

Rafael nodded. “I want him to swallow his tongue.”

“Trust me, Rafael, he’s going to go through much worse than that once we get him.” Carisi promised.

Barba felt like his heart was going to jump out of his chest when he heard his first name roll off Carisi’s tongue.

“Maybe I should pick you up instead tomorrow,” Sonny added.

“What? No, I’m fine, Carisi. It wouldn’t make any sense. You’d have to get off the FDR and drive all the way to 86th to get me and then have to drive back down to the Cathedral.”

“Barba-”

“No, Carisi.” Rafael protested.

“Barba, please. I don’t care about it not making sense. That doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is you being safe.” Sonny spoke softly. Barba could see so much apprehension in his eyes.

It was evident that Sonny was genuinely distressed about what was happening to Rafael.

He sat there, staring at Sonny.

Carisi placed his hand on Barba’s knee, “Please let me pick you up and drive you.”

Rafael sighed, “Alright.”

Carisi flashed a set of teeth upon hearing Barba’s response. His lips looked plump for some reason-had they always been like that? And pink. They were very pink.

Barba caught himself staring at them. Between Carisi’s lips and his hand on his thigh, Rafael found himself itching with lust?

He quickly snapped his head up and jerked his knee away. “Only because I hate where the ferry docks. It smells like dead bodies.”

Carisi stood up and laughed, “You got it, Counselor.”

—-

The following morning, Barba sat in the lobby of his apartment building. He twiddled his thumbs, anticipating the arrival of Sonny.

“Mr. Barba?”

Rafael glanced up to see the building’s concierge.

“Dominick Carisi is here for you.”

He nodded, thanked his concierge and walked towards the door. Through the glass, he could see Carisi in uniform, leaning against the door of his car, holding a somber expression.

Carisi then noticed Barba in the lobby and began frantically waving.

Barba shook his head, what an idiot. A deliciously adorable idiot, who happens be wearing a uniform and-

“Jesus, Rafael, hold it together,” He scolded himself under his breath before pushing through the door.

“Looking sharp as usual, Counselor.” Carisi noted, smiled lightly and tipped his hat in a joking manner.

Barba bit his lip and looked at Carisi up and down, “As usual,” he repeated.

Barba opened the car door and ducked his head in.

Carisi followed.

“Any more threats since yesterday?” Carisi turned the key in ignition.

“Nope.”

“You alright?”

“Yes.”

“You sure, Counselor?”

“Yes, Carisi. Sorry I’m not in the mood for a full blown interrogation right before a funeral.”

Sonny nodded, “You’re right. I’m sorry. I guess I’m just nervous. Also sad, I’m really sad. Dodds was an incredible detective, sergeant, just person overall. I didn’t know him for that long, none of us really did, but he was a great guy; everyone knows it. I can’t believe it was his last day at SVU and that had to happen to him. I mean, his last day, Barba! And he had to die. Why? I don’t understand. I should have gone. Liv told me to go, I should have done it. He didn’t deserve this.”

“And you wouldn’t have deserved it either, Carisi.” Barba snapped.

“May God rest his soul.”

Carisi crossed himself when he halted at a red light. He reached into his shirt to reveal a small gold medal hanging from a chain around Carisi’s neck, which he gently pressed to his lips before tucking it back inside.

“He was an exceptional, well-respected detective. He’s in a better place now.” Barba reassured.

Carisi nodded, “I know, Barba. Thank you.”

“Carisi, what was that on your necklace?”

“Our Lady of Guadalupe.”

“No way…”

“What is it, Counselor?”

Barba fished into his pocket to pull out his wallet, “I have the same one.”

“You do?”

Barba nodded, opening his wallet and revealing the same small, gold medal, except this one didn’t have a chain.

He held it in the palm of his hand, waiting for Carisi to pull up to another red light so he could look at it.

Upon stopping, Carisi turned and lightly traced his finger over the medal in Barba’s hand.

Carisi couldn’t help but smile, “You know the story?”

He looked back up at the road and turned the wheel.

“Of course, I do. It’s a Hispanic thing, I’m surprise you know it.” Barba replied.

Carisi smiled again, “Religion has no race.”

“Juan Diego.” Barba breathed out. “Mi abuela has told me the story millions of times. Both before and after giving me that medal.”

“Same with mia nonna.”

“Italians and Hispanics are very similar.”

“How so? Enlighten me, Counselor.”

“Both are incredibly religious, take pride in their families and culture. They have similar attitudes and outlooks on life, both are very crazy, you get the idea.”

Carisi cracked up. “All amazing points.”

Barba quickly returned a smile and out of the corner of Carisi’s eye, he caught it.

“Is that a smile I see, Barba?”

The smile instantly faded.

“Someone once told me, you see what you want to see.”

Another red light.

Carisi turned to look over at Barba, his own smile faded as they held eye contact.

“I know what I want to see, Barba.”

Barba turned his head quickly, breaking the contact.

“I’ll tell Liv we’re on the corner. They have the street blocked off,” Barba explained, changing the subject.

Carisi cleared his throat, “I see a parking spot.” He pointed ahead.

Barba nodded his head in agreement, while pressing his phone to his ear.

Sonny pulled his car to the curb, not focusing on what Barba was saying. Instead, he stared at his left hand-the hand which was not holding the phone-which lay flat on his left thigh. Sonny swallowed, his eyes followed a pulsing, green vein which traveled from Barba’s ring finger down to his wrist.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“Carisi?”

Sonny snapped his head up, “Counselor?”

“Do me a favor and get your head out of your ass, Detective.”

Sonny flushed, “Sorry. Let’s get out of the car now.”

He swung his car door open and stood up, examining the crowd in front of him. Quickly adjusting his cap, he turned his head to see Barba standing at his side.

Sonny locked the car with his keys, pocketed them, and began walking.

“I’m heading into the church now. The lieutenant and the rest of the squad are over there,” Barba cocked his head to the side.

“See you later.” He added flatly, picking up his pace so he was ahead of Carisi.

“Counselor, wait.”

Barba turned his head, “Yes, Detective?”

“Nothing. Just, thank you.” Sonny smiled.

Barba nodded, reached his hand out and patted Sonny on the shoulder,

“Go. Liv needs you.”

—-

The funeral was nothing short of utter heartache, sorrow and mourning mixed with a bit of happy memories and light jokes about Dodds’ childhood and teen years.

In typical Irish family tradition, the attendees of the funeral were to gather at a bar following the service to celebrate the life of the loved one.

St. Patrick’s Bar and Grill was a reasonably sized pub; however, with the amount of people inside, the tavern felt like a walk-in closet. The bar had been closed off to any one who did not attended the funeral.

Deputy Chief William Dodds tapped his glass with a spoon, which was followed by a chorus of “shh’s” to hush the talkative crowd.

He cleared his throat, “Thank you all for coming to the service and for celebrating my son’s life here with me and my family. There is so much I can say about Mike. He loved what he did. When he was younger, he told me he looked up to me-that I was his role model; but Mike died a hero, so he is my role model.”

The Deputy Chief paused, looked down at the ground and smiled, “I love my son; he was nothing short of an absolute fighter. I know everyone here can agree on that.”

He looked up at the crowd, his smile not fading once, and raised his glass,

“To Mike.”

“To Mike,” the crowded bar repeated, holding their glasses high.

Carisi stood at a high-top pub table with Detective Rollins, Detective Tutuola and Lieutenant Benson.

He took a sip from his Heineken and looked over at Liv, who was staring at the table, glassy-eyed.

“C'mere, Lieutenant.” Carisi placed his arm around her, pulling her in for a hug.

“He’s in a better place,” Liv murmured into his shoulder.

Sonny patted her on the back and looked up, noticing Barba sitting at the bar, alone.

Liv pulled away and squeezed Sonny’s shoulder, “I’m going to go find Ed. Thank you, Carisi.”

“You got it, Lieutenant.”

Liv smiled and excused herself from the rest of the table.

“Go over to him.”

Carisi turned his head to see the voice was coming from Rollins.

“Huh? Who?”

“Barba,” Rollins raised her eyebrows and smiled, “I know it’s killing you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh come on, Carisi. Don’t play dumb. You couldn’t keep your eyes off him since we first stepped inside.”

Carisi shrugged, trying not to smile because he knew damn well Rollins was right.

“I’m just worried about him, that’s all. He received another threat yesterday on the phone.”

“You’re a naturally caring person, Carisi, I understand. Go. Now. Before you drool all over yourself.” Rollins motioned her hand.

Carisi couldn’t help but smile.

He nodded in agreement and made his way across the bar.

There sat Barba, crystal tumbler in hand, phone in the other.

He was scrolling through something- emails, maybe.

“Busy even on a day like this, Counselor?”

Barba looked up to see Sonny standing in front of him, beaming and holding his cap.

“The life of an ADA never stops, Detective. You sure you want to take this route?”

“I don’t know what I want to do,” Sonny admitted shyly, “Mind if I join you?”

“Only if you promise you won’t knock my drink over.”

Sonny tried to resist the urge to laugh; instead he gave Barba the same stone, cold, “are you kidding me” face that Barba always gives.

Rafael himself couldn’t keep from laughing, which caused Sonny to break.

Suddenly, Sonny stopped and just stared at Rafael.

Barba’s laughter died down, “What?”

“Hearing you laugh is a rarity, Counselor.”

“Is it because I’m so intimidating, Detective?” Rafael joked. “I’m not allowed to laugh?”

“No,” Sonny said seriously. “It’s nice hearing it, that’s all.”

Rafael blinked and turned his head towards his tumbler so Sonny wouldn’t see him blush.

“You want a drink, Carisi?”

“I had one,” Sonny paused and turned his head to look back at the table he originally sat at.

“What do you drink, Sonny?”

Carisi grinned at hearing his name, “Whatever you’re having, Rafael.”

Barba threw his glass back and downed the remaining contents of his drink.

“It was whiskey.”

“Two cranberry and vodkas,” Rafael requested, looking at the bartender.

“Coming up.” The bartender threw a small towel over his shoulder and turned to make the drinks.

“You alright, Counselor? Honestly.”

“I’m fine, Carisi. Really.”

“It’s alright to be scared.”

“Scared? Here? With you? Never.”

“Two cranberry and vodkas,” The bartender set two coasters down and the drinks on top and carefully slid them over to Carisi and Barba.

“Thank you sir,” Carisi nodded.

He then turned to Barba, “With me?”

Barba rolled his eyes, “Don’t start.”

Carisi chuckled, “How could I not? Annoying you is kind of my thing.”

“You’re exceptionally good at it.”

Carisi’s smile faded.

“Listen, Carisi. I really want to thank you,” Barba paused and took a deep breath. “For this, for everything, for being a friend.”

Carisi felt a surge of energy pump through his veins. “I’m glad I can be your friend, Counselor. I’m even more glad I can do this for you and I promise I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

Barba tipped his drink back and then looked down.

“You really are a great person, Carisi. And I don’t just say that to anyone.”  
Carisi drummed his fingers on the table. The energy continued to circulate through his body. He wanted to kiss Barba.

Instead, fighting the urge, he bit his bottom lip, “That means everything coming from you. You’re going to be alright, Counselor.”

“Don’t get used to this nice and appreciative side of me. I still think you’re an idiot.”

Carisi laughed, “I’ll take that.”

Now was certainly not the time, nor was it appropriate, to kiss Barba. The moment had to perfect, and then Carisi would work on getting Barba to call him something other than a friend. One step at a time.

Barba’s eyes were smiling, “You’re not so bad, you know, Carisi.”

Carisi locked eyes with Barba’s and placed his hand on his thigh.

“Sonny, call me Sonny.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any recommendations or prompts, please message me. Also if you would like me to write a part two to this, I would be more than happy to. xx


End file.
